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2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season in Review (Solo)
Hello it's Destiny here! and I am doing a review of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season! This will be a honest grade for what I thought of the storms. I saw others doing this also so I though why not add mine? I will provide a description from Wikipedia to go with the storm. I will rate these storms out of 100 (ex. 65/100). Tropical Storm Ana A low pressure area of non-tropical origins developed into Subtropical Storm Ana at 00:00 UTC on May 8, while situated about 175 miles (280 km) of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The system was classified as subtropical due to its involvement with an upper trough, as well as its large wind field. Throughout the day, convection progressively increased as Ana moved north-northwestward across the warm sea surface temperatures associated with the Gulf Stream. At 00:00 UTC on May 9, the cyclone attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour (95 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 998 millibars (29.5 inHg). Six hours later, Ana transitioned into a fully tropical system. However, the storm soon began weakening after moving away from the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and increasing wind shear also contributed to the deterioration of Ana. Around 10:00 UTC on May 10, the system made landfall near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Ana weakened to a tropical depression just eight hours later and transitioned into a remnant low near the Delmarva Peninsula at 00:00 UTC on May 12. The remnant low merged with a frontal system about 24 hours later.14 Striking South Carolina on May 10, Ana became the earliest U.S. landfalling system on record. In the state, a storm surge peaking at about 2.5 feet (0.76 m) resulted in erosion and minor coastal flooding,14 with roads washed out at North Myrtle Beach.15Inland, moderate rainfall caused a lake to rise above its bank, inundating some homes and streets.16 One drowning death occurred in North Carolina after rip currents caused a man to remain underwater for more than 10 minutes. Rainfall in the state peaked at 6.7 inches (170 mm) southeast of Kinston, North Carolina, where minor street flooding took place. In Lenoir County, local firefighters rescued several stranded individuals by boat when rising floodwaters isolated about 10 residences.14 Tropical storm-force winds were confined to coastal areas, with a peak gust of 62 mph (100 km/h) observed nearSouthport.17 An additional death occurred in North Carolina after a tree fell on a car in Richlands.14 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 60/100 Tropical Storm Bill The National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring disorganized convection across the northwestern Caribbean Sea in association with an upper-level trough on June 12.18 After interacting with a broad area of low pressure near the Yucatán Peninsula, an elongated area of low pressure formed in the vicinity on June 13. The system moved northwestward into the Gulf of Mexico and developed a well-defined circulation on early June 16. Because the system was already producing tropical storm force winds, it was immediately classified as Tropical Storm Bill while situated about 200 mi (320 km). Initially continuing northwestward, Bill re-curved west-northwestward later on June 16. Around 12:00 UTC, the storm peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 997 mbar (29.4 inHg). Just under five hours later, Bill made landfall near on Matagorda Island, Texas, at the same intensity. The cyclone weakened to a tropical depression and turned northward early on June 17.19However, possibly due to the rare brown ocean effect,20 Bill remained a tropical cyclone until late on June 18, when it degenerated into a remnant low. The remnant low moved east-northeastward until dissipating over West Virginia on June 21.19 The precursor to Bill produced widespread heavy rain in Central America. In Guatemala, flooding affected more than 100 homes while a landslide killed two people.21 Two others died in Honduras due to flooding with two more missing.22 Heavy rains fell across parts of the Yucatán Peninsula, with accumulations peaking at 13 in (330 mm) in Cancún, the highest daily total seen in the city in nearly two years. One person died from electrocution in the city.23 In Texas, flooding was exacerbated by record rainfall in some areas in May. A number of roads were inundated and several water rescues were required in Alice and San Antonio. Major traffic jams occurred in the Houston and Dallas areas. Coastal flooding left minor damage, mostly in Galveston and Matagorda counties.19 One death occurred when a boy was swept into a culvert.24 In Oklahoma, numerous roads were also inundated by water. Interstate 35 was closed near Turner Falls due to a rockslide and near Ardmore because of high water. There were two fatalities in Oklahoma, both from drowning. There was also flooding in several others states.19 Across the United States, Bill was responsible for approximately $17.9 million in damage.25 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 65/100 Tropical Storm Claudette In early July, a shortwave trough embedded in the westerlies crossed the United States. The system emerged over the Atlantic near the Outer Banks of North Carolina on July 12; a surface low soon developed. Traversing the Gulf Stream, convectionabruptly increased on July 13 and it is estimated that a tropical depression formed by 06:00 UTC that day, roughly 255 mi (410 km) east-northeast of Cape Hatteras. Six hours later, the depression intensified into a tropical storm and was assigned the name Claudette. The sudden development of the cyclone was not well-forecast,26 and Claudette was not operationally warned upon until it was already a tropical storm.27 Embedded within southwesterly flow ahead of mid-latitude trough, the storm moved generally northeast. Claudette reached its peak intensity around 18:00 UTC with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a pressure of 1003 mbar (hPa; 29.62 inHg). Increasing wind shear on July 14 prompted weakening, displacing convection from the storm's center. It subsequently degenerated into a remnant low by 00:00 UTC on July 15. The remnants of Claudette were absorbed into a frontal boundary just south of Newfoundland later that day.26 Foggy and wet conditions associated with Claudette forced flight cancellations and travel delays across portions of eastern Newfoundland.28 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 30/100 Hurricane Danny Early on August 16, the NHC began monitoring an area of disturbed weather in association with a tropical wave south-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.29 Amid generally favorable atmospheric conditions, the system organized into a tropical depression by 15:00 UTC on August 18 and further intensified into Tropical Storm Danny six hours later.3031 The entrainment of theSaharan Air Layer early on August 19 caused a collapse of associated convection, although it was noted that a vigorous circulation remained.32 Shower and thunderstorm activity congealed into a small central dense overcast, and a small eye became evident, supporting an upgrade to hurricane intensity at 15:00 UTC on August 20.33 Tracking west-northwestward, Danny continued to intensify and a recon flight the next day indicated that the cyclone had attained peak winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), the first major hurricane of the season.34 Due to its very small size and low latitude, Danny had an unusually high pressure of 974 mbar - a pressure usually found in Category 1 or 2 hurricanes. Following peak intensity, a combination of stronger wind shear and drier air caused Danny to rapidly weaken to a minimal tropical storm by the afternoon of August 23.35 On August 24, Danny dissipated 45 mi (72 km) west-southwest of Guadeloupe.36 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 69/100 Tropical Storm Erika A westward-moving tropical wave developed into Tropical Storm Erika while located about 955 mi (1,535 km) east of the Leeward Islands.37 Despite favorable conditions, the system failed to intensify significantly and continued to move generally westward. Erika instead fluctuated in organization over the next few days, prior to encountering stronger wind shear.3839 Contrary to predictions of a northwesterly recurvature, the cyclone persisted on a westerly course and passed through the Leeward Islands just north of Guadeloupe on August 27.40 Unfavorable conditions in the Caribbean Sea prevented Erika from strengthening beyond 50 mph (85 km/h).41 Late on August 28, the storm made landfall in Dominican Republic near the border of Barahona andPedernales provinces.42 Although the cyclone re-emerged into the Caribbean early the following morning, Erika did not re-organize, and after crossing the Guantánamo Province of Cuba,43 it degenerated into a trough of low pressure.44 Several Leeward Islands experienced heavy rainfall during the passage of Erika, especially Dominica. There, 15 in (380 mm) of precipitation fell at Canefield Airport,4546 causing catastrophic mudslides and flooding. A total of 890 homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable while 14,291 people were rendered homeless, and entire villages were flattened.47 With at least 31 deaths, Erika was the deadliest natural disaster in Dominica since David in 1979.4849 Overall, there was $428.8 million in damage and the island was set back approximately 20 years in terms of development.4750 In Guadeloupe, heavy rainfall in the vicinity ofBasse-Terre caused flooding and mudslides, forcing roads to temporarily close.51 Approximately 200,000 people in Puerto Rico were left without electricity.52 The island experienced at least $20 million in agricultural damage.53 In the Dominican Republic, a weather station in Barahona measured 24.26 in (616 mm) of rain, including 8.8 in (220 mm) in a single hour.54 About 823 homes suffered damage and 7,345 people were displaced.55 Five people died in Haiti, four from a weather-related traffic accident and one from a landslide.56 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 67/100 Hurricane Fred A well-defined tropical wave developed into a tropical depression about 190 mi (310 km) west of Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, early on August 30.57 About six hours later, the depression intensified into a tropical storm.58 The next day, Fred further grew to a Category 1 hurricane and several hours later peaked with winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) as it approached Cape Verde.5960 After passing Boa Vista and moving away from Santo Antão,6061 it entered a phase of steady weakening, dropping below hurricane status by September 1.62 Fred then turned to the west-northwest and endured increasingly hostile wind shear, but maintained its status as a tropical cyclone despite repeated forecasts of dissipation.63 It fluctuated between a minimal tropical storm and tropical depression through September 4–5 before curving sharply to the north.64 By September 6, Fred's circulation pattern had diminished considerably, and the NHC discontinued its public advisories on the storm.65 At the threat of the hurricane, all of Cape Verde was placed under a hurricane warning for the first time in history.66 Gale-force winds battered much of the Barlavento region through August 31, downing numerous trees and utility poles.67 On the easternmost islands of Boa Vista and Sal, Fred leveled roofs and left several villages without power and phone services for several days. About 70 percent of the houses in Povoação Velha were damaged to some degree.68 Throughout the northern islands, rainstorms damaged homes and roads, and São Nicolau lost large amounts of its crop and livestock.69 Monetary losses exceeded $1.1 million across Cape Verde,70 though the rain's overall impact on the agriculture was positive.71 Swells from the hurricane produced violent seas along West African shores, destroying fishing villages and submerging large swaths of residential area in Senegal.72 Overall, nine deaths were directly attributed to Fred.7374 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 75/100 Tropical Storm Grace A well-organized tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa on September 3. Initially disorganized with a broad area of low pressure, a burst of convection on September 5 led to a more concise center, and a tropical depression developed around 06:00 UTC that day while positioned about 175 mi (280 km) south of Cape Verde. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Grace twelve hours later. Embedded within a generally favorable environment, Grace strengthened to attain peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) around 12:00 UTC on September 6, when a mid-level eye feature was evident on satellite. Thereafter, cooler waters and increased shear caused the cyclone to weaken to a tropical depression early on September 8 and dissipate at 12:00 UTC the next day while located within the central Atlantic.75 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 25/100 Tropical Storm Henri On September 8, an upper-level trough spawned a tropical depression southeast of Bermuda; the next day it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Henri. Struggling against strong westerly wind shear, the system attained a peak intensity of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1003 mbar (hPa), possibly due to baroclinity. Operationally, the NHC put Henri's peak intensity at only 40 mph (65 km/h). Thereafter, increasing interaction with the same upper-level trough to the west degraded Henri's circulation. It opened up into a trough on September 11; the remnants were later absorbed into a non-tropical cyclone over the North Atlantic several days later.76 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 35/100 Tropical Depression Nine On September 10, a strong tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa. Passing south of Cape Verde, its interaction with a convectively-coupled kelvin wave resulted in increased convection and the formation of an area of low pressure. After further organization, the wave acquired sufficient organization to be declared a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on September 16 while located within the central Atlantic. Unfavorable upper-level winds caused the appearance of the cyclone to become disheveled almost immediately after formation, and despite sporadic bursts of convection atop the storm's center, the depression dissipated at 18:00 UTC on September 19 without ever attaining tropical storm intensity.77 Taken From Wikipedia ''' ''My Rating: 20/100'' '''Tropical Storm Ida A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa on September 13. The wave later interacted with a Kelvin wave, the latter of which contributed to the formation of Tropical Depression Nine. Moving westward with a large area of convection, the tropical wave and the Kelvin developed into a well-defined low pressure area around midday on September 15, according to satellite imagery. However, disorganized prevented its classification as a tropical depression until 06:00 UTC on September 18, while located about 750 mi (1,210 km) south of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands. The depression moved west-northwestward due to a subtropical ridge to the north and intensified into Tropical Storm Ida early the following day. Westerly wind shear exposed the storm's low-level circulation, causing Ida to strengthen only slightly.78 Wind shear briefly decreased, allowing the cyclone to peak with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1,001 mbar (29.6 inHg) at 12:00 UTC on September 21. However, shear increased later that day, causing slow weakening. Ida then decelerated and began moving in a general eastward direction on September 22 after becoming embedded in the flow associated with an mid- to upper-level trough. Early on September 24, the storm weakened to a tropical depression. During the following day, the trough was replaced with a subtropical ride, causing Ida to turn northwestward and then west-northwestward on September 26. After shear and dry air caused much of the convection to diminish, Ida degenerated into a remnant low around 12:00 UTC on September 27 while situated about 1,000 mi (1,610 km) east-northeast of Barbuda.78 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 55/100 Hurricane Joaquin A non-tropical low developed into a tropical depression on September 28 about 405 mi (650 km) southwest of Bermuda, based on the improved circulation on satellite imagery.79 Convection increased and organized around the center as the wind shear decreased, resulting in the depression being upgraded to Tropical Storm Joaquin early on September 29. The storm initially moved generally westward or southwestward, steered by a high pressure area to the north.80 The cloud pattern became better organized as Joaquin moved toward the Bahamas.81 On September 30, the storm intensified into a hurricane, as reported by the Hurricane Hunters.82 Joaquin then rapidly deepened, becoming a Category 4 hurricane late on October 1.83 Joaquin later weakened as it passed through the Bahamas,84 but reintensified to a Category 4 hurricane while recurving northeastward.85 On October 3, maximum sustained winds peaked at 155 mph (250 km/h), just below Category 5 strength.86 Thereafter, Joaquin began to rapidly weaken as it approached Bermuda. The cyclone then turned eastward and maintained hurricane status until October 7.87 By the following day, Joaquin became extratropical about 350 mi (565 km) west-northwest of Corvo Island in theAzores.88 Battering the Bahamas's southern islands for over two days, Joaquin caused extensive devastation, especially on Acklins,Crooked Island, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador Island.89 Severe storm surge inundated many communities, trapping hundreds of people in their homes; flooding persisted for days after the hurricane's departure.9091 Prolonged, intense winds brought down trees and powerlines, and unroofed homes throughout the affected region.92 As airstrips were submerged and heavily damaged, relief workers were limited in their ability to quickly help affected residents.93 Offshore, the American cargo ship El Faro and her 33 crew members were lost to the hurricane.94 Coastal flooding also impacted the Turks and Caicos, washing out roadways, compromising seawalls, and damaging homes.95 Strong winds and heavy rainfall caused some property damage in eastern Cuba.96 One fisherman died when heavy seas capsized a small boat along the coast of Haiti.93 Storm tides resulted in severe flooding in several of Haiti's departments, forcing families from their homes and destroying crops.97 The storm brought strong winds to Bermuda that cut power to 15,000 customers.98 Damage on Bermuda was minor.99 Although Joaquin steered clear of the mainland United States, another large storm system over the southeastern states drew tremendous moisture from the hurricane, resulting in catastrophic flooding in South Carolina.100 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 91/100 Hurricane Kate A tropical wave, which had heavy thunderstorm activity over the northern Lesser Antilles, was interacting with an upper-level low pressure area by late on November 4.101 A low pressure area formed near the Turks and Caicos Islands on November 7.102Late on the following day, satellite imagery indicated that the circulation became well-defined. As a result, Tropical Depression Twelve developed about 115 mi (190 km) southeast of San Salvador Island in the Bahamas around 03:00 UTC on November 9. Amid generally favorable atmospheric conditions,103 the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Kate several hours later.104 After initially moving northwestward, Kate briefly accelerated northward around the western periphery of a subtropical ridge over the central Atlantic.105 Thereafter, the cyclone accelerated further and curved northeastward due to the mid-latitude westerlies.106 After intensification and improvements to convective banding, Kate was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane at 09:00 UTC and peaked with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h).107 Due to very strong wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures, the storm began losing tropical characteristics shortly thereafter.108 The hurricane weakened to a tropical storm early on November 12, as the cloud pattern became elongated and asymmetrical.109 However, around that time, Kate attained its lowest barometric pressure of 983 mbar (29.0 inHg).110 By 09:00 UTC on November 12, the system became extratropical about 430 mi (690 km) south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, after merging with a baroclinic zone.111 The remnants of Kate moved north of the British Isles and affected the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 15 and 16.112113 Across Wales, high winds downed trees and heavy rain flooded roadways.114 Taken From Wikipedia My Rating: 80/100 Overall Most of the Storms were weak and/or didn't affect any land. I'm am going to put what each storm could of done to have a better rating Tropical Storm Ana Strengthen into a Category 1 Hurricane. +5 Points Make Landfall as a Hurricane +10 Points Tropical Storm Bill Strengthen Into a Category 1 Hurricane +5 Points Make Landfall as a Hurricane +10 Points Tropical Storm Claudette ' Strengthen Into a Category 1 Hurricane '+5 Points Make Landfall... SOMEWHERE!!! +5 Points Category:2015 Atlantic hurricane season Category:Review Category:Reflection Category:Hurricanes Category:Cyclones Category:Erasicanes Category:Subtropical Cyclones Category:Tropical/Subtropical Cyclones Category:Medicanes Category:Megacanes Category:UniversalSolo Category:Typhoons Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons